Sewing-machine.



i'. R./,MOFFATT & R. S. KELSO.

sia/vm@ ,MACHINE .AEIFUIIL/ATFON FILED DEC. 21. 11H16.

1,287,392. Patented Dec. 10, 1918.

'1. R. MOFFATT & R. S` KELSO.

SEWING MACHINE.

AYPLICATION man Dc.2x. 19m.

Patented Dec. 10, 1918.

SHEETS-SHEET 3 j. R. MOF'FATT a R'. S. KELSO.

SEWING MAM-HNE.

nmcawx man nic/1. 191s.

Patented Dec. 10,1918;

1 sains-sufi? 4.

I I. R. MOI-:FMT- & R. S.` KELSO. l

sEwLNG MACHINE. APPLICATION FILE-D DEC.2I 1916.

1,287,392. Patented De-.1o,1918.

zsHEETs-SHEET 5.

Innen/toas @12M fr mig JMW www i I. R. MOFFATT & R. S. KELSO.

`SEWING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEc.2I. I9Ie.

Patentedfnec. 1o,- 1918.

I '.ZZ,A 7 WMCIIDQMGMQ@ @j :Lg/Mm MII/mw 7 R. MOFFATT a R. S. KELSO.

SEWING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED 0m21.191s.

IsHEETs-sHEET r.'

Patented Dec. 10, 1918.

:JAMES R. 'MOFFATT AND RALPH S. KELSO, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, SSIGNORS TO UNION SPECIAL MACHINE COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

SEWING-MACHILL specification of Letters rareza.

rammed nee. io, ieie.

Application filed December 21, llG. :serial No. iifl,

' To all whom. z'v' may concern.'

Be it known that We, JAMES R. Morrefrr and RALPH S.-I\ELSO, citizens of the United speetively, at Chicago, inl

States, residing.y the county of'-(;ook, S tate of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improve` ments 1n Sewing-Machines, of which the fol- MThe invention relates to new and useful improvements in sewingmachinea, and more particularly to the stitch-forming mechanism thereof.

'It is 'Well-lmown that', when athreaded looper moves back and forth on'thev line of feed and enters the needle loop when rnovingv in a direction opposed'to thefeed, con-` siderable diiculty is experienced in spreading or separating the looper thread from the body of the looper for the entrance of the needle into. the looper thread loop.' An

objeot of the present invention is to proyide means wl'iereby the feed ofthe needle thread loop away from the needle by the feeding of the fabric maybe utilized to deect the looper thread which passes therethrough so as to separate the looper thread from the body of the looper and thus spread the provide ja recess or' groove inthe under face of the throat'plate which is so disposed as to provide a clearance space for the looper `thread so that the same may be readilyv vseparated from the looper' body and the looper `thread loop spread.

These and other-objects will in part 'be obvious and will in .part be hereinafter more fully disclosed.v

In the drawlngs, which show Cbyjvvay. of

illustration one embodiment `ofthe inven- Figure l chine embodying our 1 'improvements Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view through a portipn of the machine, gsaidview bei'ncr talien'slibstantially o n the line. ofthe needtleS- S Fig. 3 is 'a plan view ofthepartsbeneath the .Work support;

Fig. 4 is a view partly in transverse verti-i Cal section and partly in elevation, substan--i y l v .i is" carried` thesupporting base and d' tially through one of the nejgdies; i

is a .front view offa sewing ma# Fig. 5 a detail viewin plan showing the loopers, the looper carrier and the latch releasing Vmechanism Which permits the loopersv to'be moved laterally for threading With the loopers in threading position;

Fig. 6 is a ltransverse sectional View onv the line 6--6 of Fig?) ;v

-tion of the throat plate shown in F-ig;

Figi `l1 is a sectional view on the line Fig. l2 is a detail partly in section showing thelooper and a portion of the throat plate, the looper being retracted;

Fig. i3 is lan enlarged detail partly in seetion7 showing lthe needle, the looper, a part of thethroa't platewith the'lcoper partivay back on its retraeting movement;v

Fig. 11i is la diagrammatic View showing the loopen, the needle and in dotted lines,` the throat plate when the looper is retracted and about iso-move forward to enter th Vneedle loopg= A .further obgect .of the invention is to Fig. i5 is a similarl view but 'showing the looper havingentered the needle looprsand at the. 'forward end of its stroke;

Fig. dis va similar view but showing the looper as having Amoved laterally and retracted slightly, also showing the needle loop on the looperashaving been fed baelr- Apoint may pass between thelooper thread 'and thel body of the looper;'

Fig.' i8. is a detail showing the. needley the l-ooperl and thethroat plate, said throat plate being in vertical section through the clearance slot for recess in front of the needleopeningy We have shown our invention as applied to a' sewing machine Which` is provided with a supporting base 1 on which is mounted acworkgsupport 2. An overhanging arm 3 ree needle bar 4 reciprocates at the forward end of said overhanging arm. Said needle bar is reciprocated by a needle lever 5 which is connected to the needle bar by a link 6. The needle lever is oscillated by an eccentric strap 7 which coperates with an eccentric on the main shaft 8. A

As herein shown, the needle bar is provided With a needle supporting head 9 which carries four needles l0, 11, 12 and 13. These needles are grouped in two pairs. threads for the needles are led through suitable tensions indicated at T and thence through suitable thread guides carried in -part by the needle lever and in part by the raised l`and lowered b v an eccentric 18 onl the main shaft 8. Said feed bar 17 at its rear end is pivoted to a feed rocker 19 and the feed rocker is oscillated by an eccentric strap 2O which coperates with an eccentric on the main shaft 8; It will be understood that there is a series of feed dogs 16 which are adjustably connected to the feed bar 17 so that they may be shifted laterally of the line of feedif desired.`

Coperating with the needles 10, 11', 12 and 13 respectively, are four loopers 21, 22, 23

and 24. Each of these loopers is a thread carrying looper. That is, it is provided with a thread eye through which the -looper thread passes that is to be concatenated with .the needle thread loops. Eachllooper is carried by an independent looper holder and these looper holders are each indicated at 25 in the drawings. A looper carrier 26 consists of two sleeves 27 and 28 which are connected by a slotted cross bar 29. Each looper holder has a rearwardly extending shank, see Fig. 4, which extends into the slot in the slotted cross bar and acap plate 31 secured to the holder 30 by a screw 32, clamps the holder onto this cross bar 29. This provides a supporting means for the looper which permits the loopers to be independently adjustable and set so as to correspond to the arrangement of the needles on. the needle bar. The loopers, as clearly shown in the drawings, are each mounted so that they extend in a line parallel with the line of feed. The looper carrier 26 also has a second cross bar 33 connected to the ,sleeves 27 and 28. and a small finger piece 34 is se-` cured to the sleeve 28. These sleeves 27 and 28 are mounted to slide freely on a looper The l The looper supporting shaft 35 is mounted in suitable bearings 39 and 40 carried by the supporting bed 1. The shaft extends beyond these bearings and is mounted freely in the bearings so it may oscillate therein and also move endwise in the bearings. Said looper supporting shaft is oseillated by means of a link 41 which is connectedto a crank arm 42 on the looper supporting shaft and a crank arm 43 on the main shaft 8. As the main shaft rotates the crank arm 43 will rotate, but the crank arm 42 is longer than the crank arm 43 and, therefore, the looper supporting shaft will merely oscillate.

The looper supporting shaft is moved endwise through devices connected to the other end of the looper supportingshaft.A On the end of the shaft there is a sleeve 44 which is clamped to the end of said looper supporting shaft by a screw 45. This sleeve 44 projects beyond th'eend of the looper supporting shaft and a rod 46 extends into the sleeve.

A collar 47 is clamped on the end of this rod 46 while a collar 48 is clamped in the end of the sleeve by a screw 49. Said'last named collar 48 has an opening therethrough which permits the rod 46 to turn freely in'v the opening. From the above .it will be apparent that the rod 4 6 when moved endwise will cause the looper supporting shaft to be moved endwise, but the looper supporting shaft is free to oscillate on its eonnec tion with the rod 46.

The rod 46 at its outer end is connected by a link 50 with an arm 51 carried by a sleeve 52 which is mounted to oscillate about a ver,

we have provided devices for moving the loopers back and forth into and out ofthe needle loops and also for moving the loopers laterally, which devices are of few parts, free from Vsprings and irregularly shaped cams so that the machine may be driven at high speed with little undesirable vibration in ,the parts so that the operating mechanism is very strong and durable.

It Will be understood that the means for oscillatin the loopers and the means for moving t e loopers endwise is timed so that From the above, it Will be apparent that- `baclward movementof the loopers.

vthe loopers move forward into the needle moved backward with little or no lateral' movement, until the points of the loopers have passed the needles, after which they return'to their rst or initial position.

Tn a multiple needle machine it is desirable to move the loo'pers laterally from their normal operating position for the purpose of"tli reading so' as to position said loopers at One side of the throat plate and under a removable slide carried by the clot-h plate. As' above noted, the looper carrier 26 is mounted onthe looper supporting shaft so that it may be moved endwise thereon. Whenthe looper carrier is in the position shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, the collar 28 abuts against the collar 36 so as to prevent the looper carrier from any further movement to the left.

depressed.

A spring latch 57 which is pivoted between the arms 37 and 38 of the collar 36,

is pivoted at 61 tothe bed plate of the maey chineand projects beyond saidpivot where it is provided with an uptu'rned noseZ. On the main shaft 8 there is a collar 63 Awhich is provided with .arnotch 64. T the main shaft stops with the notch 64 directly over the noser of the lever then said lever may be When said lever is depressed. a cross bar 65 carried thereby engages the latch 57 and moves the sameto release the loopercarrier. As long as this lever 60 is held depressed and the carrier released, the shaft of the machine will be locked against movement by reason of this nose 62 engaging the notch 64. As the looper carrier moves in front ot the cross bar V65,*it will preventv the lever 60 from moving upwardl)Y to release the main shaft and the lever cannot be released from the main shaft until the looper carrier has been returned -to its normal position. This `insures the re.- turning of the looper carrier to its normal position `before the machine can be started.

The lever 60 is -automatically released by al spring 66. when thelooper carrier has been returned to its'operative posltion.

The looper threads are indicated at Zin the drawings. These looper threads pass through suitable tensions, indicated at T and thence through-a thread controlling mechanism, indicated at C and from this thread cont-rolling mechanism, thel threads pass through suitable guides to the loopers.

The needles are arranged abreast, that is,

in'a line at right angles to the line of feed.

The loopers are thread carrying loopers and have their` loop taking and loop giving movements in the general direction parallel to the line of feed, the loop taking mo'ves* ments being in a direction opposite the di rection of feed. Where a looper is arranged as abovel noted it is necessary to 'provide means of some character to spread the loop of the looper thread and maintain said loop spread untilthe needle in its next 'descent has .entered said thread loop. This is necessary because the strand of looper thread which extends rearwardlvf-rom the eye of the looper to the last formed concatenation 1s moved over with the looper to the wrong "side of the path of theneedle. Although the first part of the-backward movement of the looper causes this strand of' the looper thread to become bowed, there is n0 means for compelling the/looper thread to become positively bowed and maintained in-such position relative to the needle,.whereby said needle will with certainty pass between said strand of the looper thread and the body oi the looper and thus enter the needle thread loop. Tn order to providemeans for positively bowing the looper thread to separate it from the looper body and thus spread the loeper thread loop, we have provided a special construction of throat plate. Said throat plate is indicated at 67 in the drawings and has the usual feed'slot 68 and nee die openings 69 one opening for each needle.

W e will describe the special construction of the throat plate relative to a single needle and looper, it being understood that the clined face 71 and a shoulder 72. On the extending rearwardly from the needle opening 69.' This slot 70 is inclined, as clearly shown in Fig. ll of the drawings, thus forming an in.

under surface the throat plate-is formed l' with a recess 73 which extends to'one side and forwardly from the needle opening to form a clearance space for the looper thread. The slot 70 is slightly at one side of the center of the needle opening;` The purpose of the inclined face of this slot is to cause the needle thread loop, which is around the looper. and'which has been fed against said inclined face, to deiiect thel looper thread, which extends through the needle loop, away from the bodyA of thel looper. As the 'fabric is tedrearwardly groove 73, needle hole and slot 70.

groove 73 gives a suthclent clearance for said' away from the needle, the previous .interlocking of th-e threads moves away from the needle opening in the throat plate and this carries the shank'of the needle loop which is now around the looper.y (the looper being forward) into the slot TO.

It will be noted that as the looper reaches the forward end of its stroke and before the lateral or needle-avoiding movement thereof takes place, the strand of looper thread which extends rearwardly from the forward eye of the looper and through the needle thread loop which is around the `looper and' thence to the last formed concatenation, exte ds upwardly through the words, the shank of the needle loop will be given a quarter-twist as it is moved back into this slot 70, leading from the needle openmg rearwardly thereof. The looper thread which is indicated at in the dravings, at. this time extends through the needle loop at the shank thereof and the quarter-twist of the needle loop will cause the looper thread to be detlected or bowed outwardly away from the body of the looper, as clearly shown in Figs. 9, 16 and 17 of the drawings. That is to say, this positioning of the shankeof the needle loop will serve as a means for deiiecting the looper thread away from the body of the looper and thus spread the looper thread loop so as to insure the needle, when it moves downwardly, entering the looper thread loop.

' The throat plate on its underface is pro'- vided with a pin 74 which is located just in advance of the `needle opening and the looper thread which is defiectcd laterally will be passed aroundthis pin as the looper.

moves backwardly so that the pin serves as a retainer for holding the spread loop open, thus further insuring the needle entering the looper thread loop and thereby positively preventing any skipping.

The throatplate, 71er se, with its' means for causing the needle thread loop to de- Thc tails of construction and arrangement of parts may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. A stitch-forming mechanism for sewing machines including in combination, a feeding mechanism, a. needle, a looper, means for noving said looper in the line of feed during its loop-taking andl loop-shedding movements, means for giving said looper a lateral needle avoiding movement while looper during thc baclward movement ofl the looper.

2. A stitch-forming mechanism for sewing machines including in combination, a feeding mechanism, a needle, alooper, means vfor moving said looper in the line of feed during its loop-taking apd loop-shedding movements. means for giving said looper a lateral needle avoiding movement while in the needle thread loop` and means for separating the looper thread extending from,

the looper through the needle thread loop to the lastformcd thread concatenation from the bodyT of the looper for spreading the looper thread loop for the entrance of the needle, said last-named means including a slotted throat plate which slot is so disposed relative to the needle as to receive the needle thread loop during the feeding movement of 'the material and'give to said needle loop a partial twistv whereby said needle loop causes the looper thread to be moved outwardly from the body of the looper during the backward movement of the looper.

3. The combination of a work support, a

'feeding mechanism, a needle, a looper cooperating with the needle and arranged to move back and forth `in a direction substantially parallel Vto the line of feed, a throat plate carried by the worksupport and having a needle opening therein and a slot extending rearwardly from the needle opening, one wall` of said slot being inclined to the plane of the work support and disposed relative to the needle opening whereby the 'needle thread loop on the looper when it is moved rearwardly by the feed dog into said slot will'be given 'a partial twist so as to cause the looper thread extending through the needle loop to be deiected away from the body of. the looper and thelooper threadloopspread for the entrance of thel needle.

Y feedingmechan'ism, a needle, a looperinco- 4. The combination of a .work support', aL

operating with the needle andarranged to move back and forth infa direction substan-` v"tially parallel to the .line Offeed; athroat .plate carried by the work'support and having a needle opening therein and a slot-.extending -rearwardly 5 from the needle opening,.one lwall of said slot being. inclined to theplane of the work support and disposed 'relative to the needle opening-whereby the needle threadloopbn` the looper when it is 'moved rearwardly b y.,the'feed dog intosaid slot will be given. a ,partial twist `so as to causethe looper thread`e`xtending through the 'needle loop.V to be deflected away from thebody of the looper and the looper thread loop spread/'for the entrance of the'needle, `said throat plate having'ja re-.` cess or groove' at the sideV of the' needle threadand in front thereof inv order` to give a clearance space'for the looper`thread. 5. The'combinaton 'of a Work support, al

feedinginechanism, a needle, a looper cooperating with theneedle and arranged to move back'and forth in a direction substantially parallel to. the' line of feed, a throat plate carried by the work support and hav'=. ing ,ai needle openingv therein and l aslot ex# tending rearwardly from the needle open` ing, one wall o fgsaid slot being inclined to4 the plane 'of the work support'anddisposed relative to the needle openingwhereby.- the .,-needle thread loopon the looper whenit is moved rearwardly vby the feed doginto said slot will be given a4 partial twist so as to 40 cause theflooper thread extending through f the 'needle loop to be deflected away from the body of the looperl and the looper thread loop spread for the entrancev of the needle, i said throatjplate having a Vprojection on itsI 4 5 under face in front of the needlefopening f for retaining the looper thread spread" for the-=entrance of the needle.

6.- The combination of a work support, al feeding mechanism, a needle, alooper ico-f. porating with the needle andV arranged to.

move back and forth in a direction substantially parallel to theline of feed for fits' loop-taking and loop-shedding movements, means for moving saidl looper baclr and forth, means for moving said loope'laterally for giving a needle avoiding `lmovement thereto, a throat plate carried by the l raarste rearwardly by Athe ffee when it is moved ng mechanism into said slot, said shoulder; operating to retard the needle thread loog 1 the strands of the needle' thread loops so that they Inoveone after-the other into the slot thus giving a partial-twist .to the needle thread loop whereby said needle thread loo is caused todeiect thelooper thread exten ing therethroughaway from the body of the looper for' spreading the looper thread loop I for the entrance ofthe needle..

7. The combination' 'of a work support, a.

feeding mechanism, a"needle,ia`looper col operatingwith the-'needleland arranged to nieve `back and forth ina direction substantially parallel to the linefvof feed for its loop-taking and 'loop-shedding movements, i

.means for movingsaid looper-yloack" and forth, means for moving'is'aidl'ooper later- `fally for giving a needle avoiding' ,movement -`thereto, a, throat platecarried bythe work support and having a needle opening therein needle opening, one wall of saidfslot'being inclined to the planeof the wall'hof the work support, saids'lot'l being sofdisposed relative to the'needleopening as to` form a shoulder for engaglng tirestrandv of the needle thread loop when it -i's` moved vI earvvardlyby the fand a-slot extending rearwardlyffrem the feeding mechanism into said s lotQsaid` shoulder operatingtdrletard thestrands of the needle thread loops-,sothat they move one 'after the otherinto vthe slot thus giving. a

partial twist tothe needle thr'e`adlloop Wherebyxsaid needle thread.- loop is caused to de- Heet-ftheY loopen` thread. 4extending therethrough away, 'fron'il the Abody* of thelooper 4-for spreadin'gtlielooper,thread loop for the entrance of the needle, said-throat plate have ing a recess formed'in its unde'rface ad- .jacentthe needleopening'and in front there'-` of inorder to Iprovide a `clearancespace for thedooper thread. .A

8,1".l-he'combination of a work support, a 'i feeding mechanism,a needle, a looper col'operating withthegn'eedle and arranged to movebackandforth in a` direction substanv tially; ip alalle'l to the lineof feed forv its loopftaking and loop-shedding movements,

means.y for moving vsaid looper back and forth means for moving said looper laterally fdr giving-a needle' avoiding movement c thereto, a throat plate carried by Ithe work support and having a needle opening therein and a slot extending'rearwardlyrom the needle opening, one wall of .said slot being inclined to the plane of the wall of the work suppon` said slotbeingso disposed relative to thelneedle openingas to forma shoulder for engagingthestrand ofthe needle thread loop when it is moved rearwardly by the feeding mechanism into said slot, 4said shoulder operating' to retard the strands of the needle thread rloops so that they move one a A L1,287,392

after the other into the slot thus giving a thread loops Spread for the entrance of the partial twist to the needle thread loop4 needle.

whereby said needle thread loop is caused to In testimony whereof we aiX our Signa` dlect the' looler thillead) extending theretures in the presence of two Witnesses.

5 t rough away roin t e ody oiV the loo er e l for spreading Ithe looper thread loop for lhe A entrance of 'the needle, said throat plate hav y ing a projection on its under face in front Vitnesses: of the needle opening for engaging. the *A S. GEORGE TATE,

10 looper thread and retaining the looper F. C. BUTLER. 

